1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting brackets for bicycle U-locks, and, more particularly, to a universal mounting bracket for releasably securing a bicycle U-lock to a bicycle frame.
2. The Prior Art
Since the invention of the bicycle lock and the continued improvement thereof, brackets for removably mounting these locks to the bicycle while not in use have not been far behind. In the mid 1970's, a bicycle lock comprising a U-shaped shackle and a crossbar and a matching bracket were developed, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,231, and since then, the U-lock has become a favorite with bicyclists. The U-lock has gone through a series of improvements, but has maintained the basic U-shaped shackle and crossbar. As improvements in the U-lock have continued, so have brackets. There now exists a variety of brackets for removably attaching a U-lock to the bicycle, both single-part and two-part devices. Two such single-part brackets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,921, Clamp for Holding Bicycle Lock, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,526, Fastener for Bicycle Accessories. The single-part bracket has a pair of opposed contoured clamps. One clamp attaches to the bicycle frame and the other clamp has an L-shaped opening for holding the U-lock. The crossbar of an assembled U-lock is inserted into the vertical portion of the opening and is rotated until the shackle is aligned with the horizontal portion of the opening, and then inserted into the horizontal portion. In the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,921, the U-lock is held in place by the camming action of a lever that presses the sides of the horizontal portion against the shackle of the lock. In the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,526, the U-lock is held in place by a snap action facilitated by small protrusions at the top of the horizontal portion.
A typical two-part bracket is disclosed in German Patent No. DE4312033A1. One part of the bracket mounts to the bicycle and the other part attaches to the lock. The two parts removably connect together by a tongue-in-groove mechanism, where the tongue of the lock-attached part slides into a groove in the cycle-mounted part. The two parts are kept from separating by a flexible strip that snaps into a slot in the tongue. The parts are separated by pressing together the ends of the strip so that it bends out of the slot, and sliding the tongue out of the groove.
While these prior art brackets achieve their intended function, each has its drawbacks. Such drawbacks include (1) a loose fit so that the lock rattles when riding the bicycle, (2) only one viable bicycle mounting position because there is only one away that the U-lock can be attached to the bracket, (3) a safety issue wherein the U-lock can be ejected from the bracket during an accident, causing injury, and (4) moving parts that can jam if they become dirty.